Share this:

The Pony Express

Ride On, Will Cody! has started its journey as a real, live book. As I’ve shared the topic of my latest story with readers young and old, I’ve been met with enthusiasm for all things Pony Express. Here are some resources that might be of interest to the readers in your life.

Share this:

Albuquerque friends, I’d love to see you Saturday, October 14, for my Ride On, Will Cody! launch party. Come learn about the Pony Express and Buffalo Bill, play some games, hear the story, and munch on a horse cookie or two.

If you can’t attend but would like a signed book, you can order through Bookworks.

podcasts

This week I am welcoming to the show Caroline Starr Rose – author of the recently released middle grade historical adventure Jasper and the Riddle of Riley’s Mine. We chat about the inspirations behind her latest novel, encouraging kids to read more, and we reminisce about Little House on the Prairie.

interviews and guest posts

I write historical fiction, so the idea of keeping a notebook to gather my research and questions about a new project isn’t a new one. But over the years my notebooks have expanded into something other than just a collection of historical tidbits. They’ve become an on-going private conversation where I can noncommittally explore the fragile beginnings of a new idea or work out troublesome knots once the story’s under way.

There are a handful wonderful picture books about the Pony Express — They’re Off!: The Story of the Pony Express, Whatever Happened to the Pony Express, and Off Like the Wind: The First Ride of the Pony Express come to mind. I wanted to write a book that went beyond the history and created an experience, that thrust the reader right into the ride alongside Will Cody. I hope readers feel energy, surprise, fatigue, and courage in the rhythm and movement of the words and art as they turn each page.

Oh, yes. I used to be quite the reading snob (not that there’s anything wrong with that!). But the longer I’ve written, the more I’ve learned to appreciate books that I might not have picked up fifteen or twenty years ago. I think knowing the hard work that goes into writing has both broadened my taste and shown me plenty to admire in the books I’ve read. I’m constantly impressed with the way other authors tell a story through their choices with plot, structure, form, and point of view.

Ride on, Will Cody! is a picture book about the third-longest ride in Pony Express history. According to legend, young Will Cody (later America’s greatest showman, Buffalo Bill) rode for the Pony Express at the age of fifteen. He claimed to have covered 322 miles in under twenty-two hours on a ride that required twenty-one horses. I should add that while most historians now believe Cody didn’t ride for the Pony Express, he no doubt had a huge influence on America’s collective memory of the eighteen-month venture through the reenactments he later included in his Wild West show. On a personal note, I’ve decided even if the story of his ride is more legend than truth, it still embodies the courage of the young men who rode for the Pony Express and gives a sense of Cody’s big, bold character. That’s enough for me.

Ride On, Will Cody! is an in-the-moment adventure as boy and horse (and reader) hit the trail together. I’m so happy readers will soon be able to jump in!

Writing about historical figures can be daunting. What advice would you give writers who are looking to represent a person from history with limited text and just 32 pages to work with?

Go deep rather than wide. A historical picture book isn’t meant to cover everything in a character’s life. Pick a moment and shine a light on the character’s response to the event. Show us her bravery or his curiosity, her commitment or his determination. Let us live the moment right alongside the character. Leave us feeling as if we’ve been there!